There might not be a name as synonymous with video games than Nintendo. From Mario to Wii bowling, it's a brand known to all ages around the world. However, the company has firmly been third place behind Sony and Microsoft in the console wars since the turn of the century.

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The Japanese giant's next attempt to regain its place atop the podium comes with Friday's release of the Nintendo Switch, a hybrid console that allows gamers to move from their living room TV to street with barely a pause using a detachable tablet and a set of multiuse controllers.

Here's a primer if you're thinking about the Switch.

Console games have never been this portable

Handheld gaming has been around for decades, and Nintendo has been at the forefront. Its original Gameboy was revolutionary, and the more-recent 3DS devices are go-to systems when you're playing on the go. Still, there was always a concession to diminished technical capabilities when using a handheld system.

Not so with the Switch.

When removing the central tablet from its dock, the only loss in specs you may experience will be going from a high-resolution display to a 720p touchscreen that's likely a little smaller than your big screen at 6.7 inches. Graphical fidelity and framerates should generally stay the same, and according to some early reviews, the system may even run games better off your television screen due to compression issues.

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The Joy-Con is a single controller, or not

Just like the console, the included Switch controllers, dubbed the "Joy-Con," can be manipulated in more than one way.

When the tablet is docked, the pair can be locked into a grip to be used as one controller. If you're with a friend, you can separate the gamepads, using them vertically or horizontally in a manner that almost seems like an upgraded version of the original NES controller. In handheld mode, the controllers can be locked into the sides of the tablet.

It's probably going to run you more than the sticker price

Sure, you're always adding games when you pick up a new console, but there are some accessories that would be wise investments for the $300 system.

Early criticisms of the machine pan its small 32 GB storage space. If you plan on downloading a game or two, you'll want to spring for a micro-SD card to expand to at least 128 GB.

The packed-in grip for the Joy-Con doesn't charge the controllers. You can get a charging grip for $30.

There's also a $70 Pro Controller that resembles a traditional gamepad (it doesn't look all that different from an Xbox One controller) and makes for a more comfortable experience while gaming at home.

"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" might be the best launch game in years

Early reviews for the next entry of the beloved series are overwhelmingly positive. The vast open-world is ripe for exploration and puzzle-solving, making for an expansive and endlessly entertaining adventure.

IGN gave it a perfect 10, saying it "presents a wonderful sandbox full of mystery, dangling dozens upon dozens of tantalizing things in front of you that just beg to be explored." Kotaku praised the game's freedom, proclaiming it "the best Zelda game to date, and it accomplishes that simply by saying yes."

It's almost as if Link and the Switch were made for each other.

But the rest of the games lineup is a little thin

Software sells hardware, and "Breath of the Wild" should be a great carrot to draw gamers to the Switch. There just isn't much else right now.

One of the more notable launch titles to take advantage of the Switch's strengths is "1-2 Switch," a multiplayer-focused game that encourages players to "face-off" and use the Joy-Con motion controls for some friendly competition. Will it be the new "Wii Sports"?

There are some big games on the horizon for the Switch, including ports of "Mario Kart 8" and "Skyrim." Of course, most owners will be waiting for the famed Italian plumber's solo Switch debut, "Super Mario Odyssey," this winter.